First Trailer for 'The Karate Kid' Remake

It could just be the fast-paced editing, but Jaden Smith looks like he's a quick study in the new Karate Kid trailer. There are other things I generally like that are featured here, Jackie Chan and Taraji P. Henson, but this one will swim or sink because of its 11-year-old star. He was great in The Pursuit of Happyness and terrible in The Day the Earth Stood Still. Then again, everything was terrible in that remake, so you can give him a pass there. It was odd, in my opinion, for Will Smith to choose this as the star vehicle for his kid. Also, it seemed odd that Smith would force his young son into this position, but maybe they really did their due diligence on that. But because the original features a much older kid (Daniel was in his teens; Macchio was 22), the casting seemed like a reach. It doesn't help that Jaden is puny even for his age, although I suppose thematically that works better. Still, Chan appears up to the challenge here, and we see plenty of Jaden in training, and it's at least believable within the context of this trailer.

Thanks to Trailer Spy Let's remember that this is not a film targeting me and probably not targeting you, unless you have kids. So, while I wouldn't stand in line to see it, it could be just the ticket for 10-year-olds who have never seen the original, which isn't that great, anyway.

Comments

[Chad]

im actually liking it, im even liking the subtle changes they made a little bit. "take off the jacket" and I like how jackie chan is hard. I really didnt think he would be able to replace pat moriyita as mr myagi but he looks good. Though watching the part where he kinda beats up the real teens rather than adults playing teens might be kind of weird. Im actually liking what they did. But I just hope we get some cameos.

Also for anyone who hasnt seen it there was a band that did a song called "sweep the leg" with the bad guy from the first karate kid movie. And mr belding and ralph maccio also have cameos

Colin did you say the first karate kid wasn't that great? Dem's fighting words :D

[Emo]

The last line of the trailer "Uhm...that's nasty"...you can definitely see the Will in Jaden.

Looks better than I expected.

[Lengthy Johnson]

The original Karate Kid actually had a big impact on me because I was right in the target group when it came out. Hence a not completely failed career in martial arts ;)

This one looks decent too but I think Jaden is too young. The love story was very important in the original film. In the remake this could only be non-existent. I guess this would leave a stroger focus on martial arts, which is not altogether bad. But a different kind of movie. Sometimes that's the best kind of remake.

[Get The Big Picture]

Yeah, you're right; I forgot about the love story aspect. But a different remake is almost always better.

[SEAN]

Cameos would be awesome...

Looks really good, and Jaden looks impressive, but I'am suspect a bit, just due to the fact of the great editing like you said but well have to wait and see

[na outra banda]

ralph macchio already say it´s against this remake. trully believe that wont be any cameo on this one.
karate kid is a classic. not for touch!
will smith, go make a scadinavian remake if you can do anything better... :)

[na outra banda]

ralph macchio already say it´s against this remake. trully believe that wont be any cameo on this one.
karate kid is a classic. not for touch!
will smith, go make a scadinavian remake if you can´t do anything better... :)

[Vince]

Looks WAY better than I expected it to. I actually dug the first film. It's oft-parodied, mostly because of how dated and corny it is (a little thing I like to call the "Elizabeth Shue Factor"), but what made that film work was the Daniel/Mr. Miyagi relationship.

It seems to me that the relationship between young Jaden and old Jackie is in pretty good form.

Not to say that I'm going to rush out and see it or anything...but it could be alright.

Also, Taraji P. Henson, much like Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, and Michelle Monaghan, always makes smile in any movie, regardless of how crappy it might be.